hooves on the turf

A mix of light rain and resolute sunshine led to a rainbow over Brooklyn while These United States was playing. Back home this kind of weather means a fox wedding. It was kind of perfect. Lots of people were out. Someone lent me a towel to wipe my wet chair with. That was nice.

These United States
It probably won’t be too long before These United States updates their set list to let songs from their upcoming album, Everything Touches Everything, dominate; but for now, their live favorites from the last two albums are far from wilting. Every time they’re played live, they’re an explosion of a rowdy soundtrack to stories that weave between an equally rowdy cast of characters. Playing on a big stage on a special evening, weather-wise, with that rainbow spread wide behind the trees, it was a special farewell of sort to the old These United States. They rocked way harder than Phosphorescent and Dr. Dog combined.

Phosphorescent
I spent a whole year mixing Bon Iver up with Phosphorescent. Songs about wolves, videos on a winter-y mountain, a common label, the facial hair: there were too many traps laid before my poor mind. Finally having seen both of them live, though, Bon Iver’s shows seem stronger. Most of it might just be because of Justin Vernon’s regular-guy personality combined with devoted sing-along’s at their Music Hall of Williamsburg show, but at the heart of it,  Phosphorescent’s performance just didn’t capture the prettiness and fragility of their album, whereas Bon Iver did. Good performance nonetheless.

Dr. Dog
Before Dr. Dog took came on, the entire stage got a flowery decor. It looked lovely. Lots of energy, great presence, but the songs are a little too bland. They remind me of Illinois. Not a huge fan of either.